If you are an Executive Director and owner of your own company, you may be considering using your company to build your personal retirement benefits.
A PRSA can provide a flexible way of building retirement savings through company contributions, subject to the applicable pension and tax rules.
- Unlike personally funded PRSA contributions, employer contributions can be paid directly by your company without PAYE, USC or PRSI applying to the contribution, subject to the applicable pension and tax rules.
- Employer contributions to a PRSA are deductible by the company for tax purposes, provided they remain subject to applicable rules and limits. These contributions are strictly capped at 100% of the employee or director’s salary for the relevant tax year.
- For an owner-director, company-funded PRSA contributions can provide an alternative way of building retirement benefits through the company, rather than relying solely on personally funded contributions. The appropriate level of funding will depend on the individual’s circumstances, existing pension arrangements and the applicable pension and tax rules.
- A PRSA can also be established alongside an existing occupational pension arrangement, such as a Master Trust. Where other pension benefits or arrangements exist, these should be considered when determining the appropriate level of contributions and the applicable limits.
For an Executive Director who owns their own company, therefore, a PRSA can provide a valuable route for using company resources to build personal retirement provision, subject to the applicable rules. But choosing a PRSA is not simply about finding a provider.
The cost of your pension matters — particularly when your money may remain invested for many years.
For an Executive Director who is entirely confident making their own pension and investment decisions, an execution-only PRSA can provide an alternative to an ongoing advised service, without the associated ongoing advice charges.
The One Quote Financial Brokers execution-only service offers an Executive Director – Company PRSA, granting access to all Royal London Ireland investment options, including passive funds with an Annual Management Charge (AMC) of 0.35% p.a. and active funds at 0.40% p.a.
Allocation Terms
The following allocation terms apply to this offer:
- 100% investment allocation on all regular contributions.
- 100% investment allocation on all PRSA and Personal Pension Plan transfers.
- 100% investment allocation on all single premiums of €10,000 or more.
The structure is straightforward:
A defined one-off, upfront broker fee combined with low ongoing investment charges — for an Executive Director who wants to make their own pension and investment decisions.
What Does Execution-Only Mean?
Execution-only means that you make the decision to proceed without receiving a personal recommendation.
- You decide whether the PRSA is appropriate for you.
- You decide how much to contribute.
- You decide how your pension is invested.
- You manage your PRSA once up and running.
The execution-only route is therefore intended for an Executive Director who is prepared to take responsibility for their own pension and investment decisions. If you require a personal recommendation about your pension or investments, an advised service should be considered instead.
Why PRSA Charges Matter
Lower-cost PRSAs result in a greater proportion of contributions being retained within the fund, which affects the impact of compound growth over time.
| PRSA Option | AMC |
|---|---|
| *Advice PRSA | 1.00% + |
| Active Funds | 0.40% |
| Passive Funds | 0.35% |
*The above information is based on indicative market observations and publicly available information, which may vary depending on provider, product structure, and individual circumstances.
Illustrative comparison of execution-only charges under this model
A common mistake when comparing PRSA AMC charges is focusing only on how long it takes to “offset” an upfront broker fee.
Our fees represent a fixed cost. An Annual Management Charge (AMC), however, applies every year and reduces investment growth throughout the lifetime of the PRSA.
For this reason, when comparing pension structures, it is important to consider not just upfront costs, but also the long-term effect of ongoing annual charges. It is also worth considering that your regular contribution level is unlikely to remain at the same level for the lifetime of your PRSA.
For an accurate comparison it may be best to include 5% per annum indexation of your regular contribution over time and to factor in any possible lump sum injections.
Illustrative Scenario (Age 35–65)
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Start age | 35 |
| End age | 65 |
| Starting at | €1,000 per month |
| Indexation | 5% per year |
| Lump sums | €10,000 at 45 and 55 |
| Net return | 6% per year |
| Compounding | Monthly |
| PRSA A | 1.00% AMC |
| PRSA B | 0.35% AMC |
Estimated Fund Value at 65
Higher AMC (1.00%)
Monthly contribution: €1,000.00 + annual indexation & two lump sums
Fund at 65: €1.56m
Lower AMC (0.35%)
Monthly contribution: €1,000.00 + step-ups & lump sums
Fund at 65: €1.70m
Illustrative difference under stated assumptions: approximately €141,000
Upfront Broker Fees vs. No Fee Higher AMC
Choosing an execution-only Personal Retirement Savings Account (PRSA) requires a clear understanding of how fees impact your final retirement fund. Under the Central Bank of Ireland’s Consumer Protection Code (CPC), financial firms must present all costs and their impact transparently. This helps you make an informed decision on your own.
Why Consider Paying a Broker Fee?
An Annual Management Charge (AMC) is not a fixed cost. It is a percentage-based drag calculated on the total value of your pension pot every year.
Because a realistic pension timeline often spans decades, your fund size changes significantly over time due to compounding growth and increased contributions.
- Early Years: When your pension balance is small, a higher AMC takes a relatively small amount of money each year. At this stage, a flat upfront broker fee represents a significant initial deduction from your starting capital, which reduces the amount initially available for investment.
- Later Years: As compounding growth swells your pot over the long term, a percentage-based fee applies to the entire accumulated balance. A lower ongoing annual charge reduces the ongoing yearly cost drag on a large accumulating fund compared to a higher AMC structure.
Lifetime Compounding
A flat upfront setup fee is a static, one-time expense. It never grows, and it stops completely the day you pay it. Once your fund crosses that mathematical break-even point, the lower annual rate saves you more money every single year for the remainder of the plan’s life.
The Retirement Lock-In Advantage
Under Irish rules, you are permitted to keep a PRSA open and unvested up to age 75. Instead of transferring your accumulated wealth into a brand-new Approved Retirement Fund (ARF) structure at retirement—which typically carries setup costs and higher annual charges of 1.00% or more—you can vest your PRSA pot in stages directly from the PRSA.
By establishing a PRSA with a 0.35%–0.40% AMC, you can benefit from a comparatively low ongoing management charge throughout the life of the arrangement—even after age 60 when standard tax drawdowns begin—subject to the terms of the product.
One-off Broker Fees
Our broker fees comprise a fixed setup fee and, where applicable, a separate transfer fee for transferring an existing PRSA, PRSA AVC or Personal Pension Plan.
A Master Trust transfer or scheme integrated PRS AVC would require a COBC and falls outside the scope of this execution-only service.
Confirmed at point of setup and payable when your PRSA goes live, the total broker fee is fixed and laid out on day one in a personal business terms statement.
- A company invoice will be issued directly upon the successful establishment and funding of your new PRSA.
- A company invoice will be issued directly upon the successful establishment and funding of your new PRSA. This intermediary service is fully VAT exempt.
1. PRSA Setup Fee
A one-off setup fee of €2,950.00 applies when establishing your new company funded PRSA.
Single-premium-only PRSAs are available and subject to the same setup fee.
2. Pension Transfer Fee
Where an existing pension plan is transferred into your new PRSA, a one-off transfer fee applies.
PRSA, PRSA AVC, or Personal Pension Plan
We provide full instructions relating to the transfer process and supply the Royal London transfer request document for your existing provider.
There is a minimum transfer fee amounting to €1,000.00, with the percentage charge as detailed below:
- 0.75% of the PRSA transfer value up to €500,000
- 0.50% of the PRSA transfer above €500,000
- 0.25% of the transfer PRSA from €1,000,000
Master Trust Transfers
Our Royal London Execution-only – Company PRSA service can accommodate transfers from existing Master Trust arrangements, subject to the applicable regulatory requirements and completion of the required transfer process.
Where a Master Trust transfer is requested, a Certificate of Benefit Comparison (COBC) is required as part of the transfer process.
The COBC is prepared by a specialist actuarial firm and provides a comparison of the benefits and terms of the existing Master Trust arrangement with those available under the proposed PRSA arrangement.
One Quote Financial Brokers has no involvement in recommending or arranging this service.
The purpose of the COBC is to provide the client with relevant information on the benefits and terms of the existing arrangement and the proposed PRSA before the client decides whether to proceed with the transfer.
The cost of obtaining a COBC is typically between €1,000 and €2,000 plus VAT. This cost is payable separately for the actuarial service and is in addition to any applicable One Quote Financial Brokers setup or transfer fee.
Where you choose to proceed with a Master Trust transfer on an execution-only basis, you must provide the completed COBC to One Quote Financial Brokers when requesting your PRSA Application Pack.
The provision of a COBC does not constitute a personal recommendation by One Quote Financial Brokers to transfer from an existing Master Trust arrangement. Our service remains execution-only, and the decision whether to proceed with the transfer remains with the client.
Clients should carefully consider the benefits, terms, charges and implications of the existing Master Trust arrangement alongside those of the proposed PRSA before deciding whether to proceed with an execution-only service. If in any doubt, you should always seek professional advice.
Note: There are no other broker charges outside of setup and transfer fees outlined above.
Total Cost Transparency
It’s important to understand that all pension plans have small additional operational charges beyond their declared AMC.
You can view each fund’s specific additional expense charge (AIE) by clicking on your chosen Fund Name or Fund Factsheet (PDF) when visiting the Royal London Fund Centre.
Additional expense charges are clearly visible on the left hand side (under the heading Key Information) of each fund’s factsheet.
They currently range from approximately 0.01% to 0.18%, depending on the funds you select.
Examples include:
- RL BlackRock Developed World Equity Index Fund at 0.01%
- RL Multi-Asset Balanced Fund at 0.18%
Please Note
- Additional Investment Expenses (AIE) should be added to the base AMC.
- AIE may vary over the lifetime of this PRSA, just the same as with any PRSA contract.
- The figures referenced above reflect the maximum range of charges applicable as of July 2026.
Royal London ValueShare Bonus
- Added annually to your pension unit value (usually April)
- Once added, it compounds alongside your pension
- Past four years (including April 2026) added approximately 0.13% per year in bonus units
In recent years (including April 2026), discretionary additions have averaged approximately 0.13% per year; however, these are not guaranteed.
Fund Choice Suitability & Risk Management
Royal London Ireland provide access to tools to assist in understanding the risk ratings of their funds.
To get familiar with the fund choices on offer, you can visit the Royal London Ireland fund centre, where you can also click on the individual fund factsheets.
When you click on the fund centre and then on the factsheet PDF link of any of the funds listed, you can view that fund’s risk rating.
To assist with fund selection, clients can opt to use the Royal London online suitability tool, which includes:
- A Risk profiler – assess tolerance for investment risk
- A Sustainability questionnaire – consider ESG factors
Clients may choose to complete both assessments, or only the risk profiler.
Access Royal London’s suitability tool.
The use of this online tool is to help with the provision of very important information; it does not however constitute advice or a recommendation from us. All investment decisions remain the client’s responsibility and as such require your careful and appropriate consideration.
How Our Service Works
A broker setup fee applies covering the establishment of your PRSA, whether Personal, Payroll Deducted, or a solely company-funded Director PRSA.
An additional broker transfer fee may only occur where you choose to make a PRSA or PPP pension transfer to your new Royal London Ireland PRSA.
This structure is designed to operate without commission-based remuneration applying.
This PRSA operates like any other PRSA in terms of contribution flexibility, with:
- No policy fees
- No fund switching charges
- No early-exit charges
- No onging broker fees
- No trail commissions
- No platform fees
- No allocation charges (min 10K Single Premiums)
What Does One Quote Financial Brokers Provide?
The Executive Director – Company service is an execution-only broker service.
The broker fee covers the One Quote Financial Brokers service involved in establishing the PRSA arrangement.
The service is therefore designed specifically around establishing the PRSA without an ongoing advised relationship.
Who Is This PRSA Service Designed For?
This service may be relevant to an Executive Director who:
- owns their own company;
- intends for their company to fund their PRSA;
- understands the distinction between execution-only and advised services;
- is prepared to make their own pension and investment decisions;
- wants to consider both the initial broker fee and ongoing investment charges.
It is not intended to suggest that an execution-only PRSA is suitable for every Executive Director.
Executive Director PRSA – Key Information
- Client: Executive Director
- Service: Execution-only
- PRSA Provider: Royal London Ireland
- Setup Fee: €2,950
- PRSA Transfer Fee: Based on a % of the amoun transferred
- VAT basis: No VAT
- Personal recommendation: No
- Suitability assessment: No
- Ongoing investment advice: No
- Passive fund: AMC: 0.35% p.a.
- Active fund: AMC: 0.40% p.a.
- Additional Investment Expenses: Fund Specific
Nil Commission Basis
How to apply – Requesting your Application Pack
When requesting your Application Pack please confirm if a PRSA plan transfer is intended (stating the amount).
Blog Author
Ken O’Gorman – Director, CB, QFA, RPA, SIA – Retirement & Investment Specialist
One Quote Financial Brokers is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Our execution-only PRSAs operate in line with applicable regulatory requirements.
© 2026 One Quote Financial Brokers Ltd. All rights reserved.

